Three biodynamic Austrian wines from Weingut Loimer
Tending and harvesting according to the lunar calendar has improved the quality of Fred Loimer's wines, even if he did lose 80 per cent of his crop to frost in 2016
Fred Loimer of Weingut Loimer, in Austria, has a goal – to produce wine that shows its true and natural flavour. To achieve this, he has turned to biodynamics, a stringent method of organic farming that prohibits the use of chemical and synthetic additives.
The conversion to biodynamics took three years and the vineyards in Austria’s Niederösterreich and Kamptal wine regions are now all certified by respekt-BIODYN. The organisation is composed of biodynamic producers in Austria, Germany, Italy and Hungary.
The improvement in quality is apparent; in Parker’s Wine Buyer’s Guide, Robert Parker Jnr writes, “Fred Loimer’s wines have undergone a gradual stylistic transformation over the past decade toward sharper relief and greater intricacy of flavour with a corresponding concentration of interest in riesling from diverse sites.”
Biodynamics follows the lunar calendar, with viticultural activities planned around the various phases of the moon. One of the most important natural additives is a horn manure called 500, which is sprayed on the soil during the spring, to encourage root growth. Horn silica 501 is used for the leaves. Other naturopath mixtures include nettle tea, which contains potassium, magnesium and iron that help stimulate vine sap, encourage chlorophyll formation and discourage pests. Peppermint tea is used to increase vine energy.